


What Defines Us

by Silence_burns



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action, Disabled Character, Gen, Humor, London, Mystery, Physical Disability, Reader is an Auror, and i'll be damned if i doesn't give it to him myself, credence deserves some good, it's set right after the first movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-07-18 07:23:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16113605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silence_burns/pseuds/Silence_burns
Summary: Based on: “Imagine Newt and Tina find barely alive Credence after his encounter with MACUSA and Grindewald, and decide to help him hide while the widespread search is conducted. They can’t get him out of the country, so they find him a safe place to wait it out. The best they could think of while feeling the MACUSA’s breath on their necks was the house of the former Auror, you.”





	1. Chapter 1

You didn’t like it.

The unpleasant tingling in the tips of your fingers was urging you to move them closer to the wand, even though you could defend yourself and the mansion just as well without it. Your pulse was slightly too fast to be considered normal. You felt it in the air - the soft suggestion brought by the cool wind wrapping up in the branches of the leafless trees. The whisper of your subconscious was telling you to prepare. To observe. To feel what was to come. It has never fooled you and that’s why you had survived all those years in the battlefield, always trusting yourself  and your hunches completely.

And now it was making you doubt your decision.

When Newt came to you, he looked hounded, as if someone was after him, right around the corner – you knew that look well enough to recognize it immediately. He has been your old (and slightly extraordinary) friend, one of the very few you still had, and your immediate impulse was to fight whoever was hunting him down.

He calmed you down with a weak, sad smile though, but instead asked for a somewhat different favour.

“I can’t tell you any details right now, because I’m out of time, but there is this boy  - he is seriously injured and exhausted and I need to hide him somewhere, just for a few days,” Newt whispered to you, still looking over his shoulder in a dark, empty valley he choose for the meeting. “Please, I know that the spells you’ve casted over your home would stop literally MACUSA and I don’t have anyone else to ask for such a thing…”

“Who is after him, Newt?” you asked firmly, sensing what he was trying to cover with carefully selected words. You’ve interrogated far too many people not to see through it.

The tall man licked his lips nervously, in a manner that has been betraying him for years. He was nervous and agog – a rare state for a light-hearted dreamer like him. At that point you were determined that whatever his problem was, it was not a joke.

“MACUSA,” Newt whispered almost inaudibly, not able to look you straight in the eyes.

He was aware of the events and reasons that made you leave the Magical Congress and cut all the ropes tying you to it. It felt like a punch in the face and he knew you felt furious that he tried to hide it from you.

“Why would I…” you muttered through the gritted teeth but he stopped you quickly.

“For exactly the same reasons as you left MACUSA! They are wrong about this boy, believe me! They made a mistake once and they are making it again. Trust me, I beg you. They cannot find him.”

You closed your eyes, regaining your composure. The bitter, dusty memories that Newt’s words brought back to life made you wince for a moment, but it was neither a time nor a place to dig up the old wounds. It was over for you.

“Is that why you urged me to meet you in person?” you asked with a perfectly calm voice. Calm as the sea right before the storm that could shatter any fool disturbing it at the wrong time.

“Yes, I’m pretty sure MACUSA would try to track any call I made with magic. Please. This boy has no place to go. I won’t let them hurt him again.”

Newt was not lying, you saw it in his eyes. The steel gaze of someone who knew they stood no chance over the people on the other side, but would die fighting for what they believed in. Newt has always been a dreamer. And dreamers die first in the battle, with faces lightened up in their final vision.

You have seen too many buried bodies of the people dying for the better cause, the people who you couldn’t save from themselves.

But you tried. You tried every time.

You lifted your head, giving the man a steel-hard gaze.

“Bring him to the mansion. I am not promising anything, remember that. From now on, I am the one in charge. If I get even the slightest hint of…”

“I know, I know, I love you!” Newt embraced you, hugging you in awe a little too tightly for your liking, but you couldn’t help a small chuckle over the sudden change in his mood. He looked like a massive weight was removed from his shoulders.

“You’re crushing me,” you said, awkwardly patting his back with your free hand.

“I’m sorry! I promise, you won’t regret it!”

At that moment, seeing his pure happiness, your decision didn’t felt like a mistake.

But after a few hours, you couldn’t stop thinking about it. You were aware that no matter what you did, you couldn’t redeem your past. It was a pathetic thought to try and exchange one life over the dead haunting you for years. It couldn’t fix anything. Nothing had the power to change the past that drastically. And yet, there you were, trying not to make the same mistake again. Deep down, you knew it was the only thing you could do. Your conciousness would eat you alive if you left the ones in need again.

You kept looking through the window. A light rain was trickling along the glass. Where were they?

You clenched your itching hand over your walking stick. On the days like this, you could almost feel your leg shattering again.

You felt them right before they teleported in front of the gate keeping your mansion secure. Newt’s magic was well-known for you and you could easily recognize him even from the distance. You made the gate crack open with your will, breaking the guarding spell just a little so that the man could come in with this ‘boy’ of his. And a woman. He mentioned a woman. Her name was Tina and she worked for the MACUSA. You remembered her just briefly since you had exchanged maybe a few words while you still were their hound. Back in your days, she was just an assistant. She grew up. You felt old.

You muttered a swear under your breath, moving to the old wooden door to hold them open. From the hallway’s windows you could see their effort in dragging the figure bathed in way too many clothes. The path from the gate to the door was long, but pavement at least saved them from floundering in the mud. Their spell-casted umbrella dispelled in the hall.

“Is anyone following you?” you asked sharply, your subconsciousness grumbling gloomily at you.

“We’ve lost them just a minute ago, but they won’t leave us alone for long!” Newt gasped weakly, completely out of breath.

You led them to one of the many rooms in the dark, empty mansion, which you have more or less prepared for the new resident. The person they carried didn’t move when they laid it down on a bed.

“So go and let your tail find you,” you hissed, almost casting them out. “They can’t get suspicious about this place!”

“But…”

“Go. Contact me when it all calms down,” you ordered Tina who must have remembered you too, because she didn’t even question your decision. She grasped Newt’s arm, giving the boy one last look before she teleported them both out. At least she wasn’t problematic.

You were left alone with a shuddering rag. All you could see on him was black, his hair, clothes…

“Are you alive?” you asked, perfectly audible in the suddenly deafening silence. He didn’t even flinch.

If they have brought you a dead body, you would kill them on the nearest occasion. It wouldn’t make any difference – one or three bodies to deal with…

The body curled up on the bed muttered something, but remained unconscious. You sighed, already regretting your decision. How were you supposed to take care of anyone? You agreed to guard, not to bring back from the brink of death. But it was too late to change your mind after you gave Newt a promise.

You leaned your stick on the bedside table. You placed the limp body further on the bed. The boy was abnormally light and emaciated.

You didn’t want to pry too much, but had to examine his state. Under the sleeves you saw the white bandages, which you had almost missed because of how pale his skin was. It contrasted strongly with his black hair, giving him a ghost-like look, especially with his sunken cheeks and long eyelashes casting deep shadows.  You made sure he wasn’t bleeding from any wound, because given his condition, it wouldn’t take much time for him to bleed out. He was weak as a newborn kitten. And cold.

You took off some of his wet clothes, most of them completely bedraggled. You smelled a slight, metallic odour of blood, but from what you’ve seen, his injuries were mostly taken care of, probably by Newt, who had to heal and patch up both himself and his creatures too, forever eager to use their claws and fangs while having fun. He didn’t have much time to stop all the bleeding, though, and some of the bruises looked very nasty. You muttered a few words about Newt’s irresponsibility and recklessness, but reached out over the boy, making magic softly flow through your fingertips. You didn’t want to interfere too much, because magic could be as helpful as dangerous.

The boy without a name was bruised and cut. You were almost sure his injuries were made by spells, you’d know those burns anywhere.

But besides them, he has also had many much older scars and bruises. You didn’t investigate it further, it wasn’t your job after all. After you healed him, you brought a thick blanket, tucking him in the best you could. With a mere look, you started a fire in the chimney on the other side of the room. There wasn’t much you could do right now besides keeping an eye on the spells guarding the mansion in case the tail following Newt and Tina found out about their stop.

The rain poured from the grey clouds. You took your stick and went out of the room, casting a spell before closing the door, that would warn you if the boy opened them. Never trust anyone, especially if your friend was too busy to give you even their name.

Newt would pay for that. Sometime later. If he didn’t get caught.

You headed to the kitchen. The soft ripple of the rain couldn’t cover the tapping accompanying you on your way, just like it didn’t for the past years. It was almost like the ghosts of your past followed you on every step you made, constantly reminding you of the things that could not be forgotten nor forgiven.

It was a long time since you did a good deed. You wouldn’t mind if it made you feel a little better, to be honest.


	2. Chapter 2

The mansion rested in silence. It was as quiet as it could get in an ancient, extensive building, where wooden floors creaked sometimes in the middle of the night and lonely draughts wandered through the barely-lightened corridors. The rain stopped pouring some time ago, leaving a cool breeze in the night air and letting the moon finally peak out from the thick clouds.

You were sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen, slowly sipping the tea. It could be considered a weird thing to do in the middle of the night, but it was the only thing you could do at that moment. There was no chance you would fall asleep anyway and there was no point in just laying in bed for hours too. You worried about Newt and Tina. You knew that MACUSA couldn’t do them any harm without unquestionable proof of their guilt, but it didn’t make you feel any better since you didn’t know what happened to them and what made MACUSA watch them. The tail they had sent to follow them was probably just a precautionary measure, which they had given to all people involved in the same events, probably recent ones. You have heard a thing or two about them, but since you have cut all the ropes tying you to both the MACUSA and life of the wizarding world, you were not up-to-date on some aspects. Maybe you should take a look at the newspaper tomorrow.

MACUSA was known for their deep investigations, though. Was Newt able to sneak out of their hands?

At least you were almost sure your house was safe. If the investigators found out about what happened, they would certainly pay you a visit. A very gentlemanly visit, of course. If someone told them what your position once was, they would probably even knock first.

Oh, how you wished they would knock on the gate without scanning them out first. What a show would that be…

Or maybe they would be smart enough not to enter the mansion’s ground uninvited, considering what magic skills you were still known for. What a shame.

You sighed heavily, sipping your tea. You could joke and try to lie to yourself that nothing bad could happen, but deep down you were aware that a refusal to the official investigators to check your home would have resolved in some consequences. You winced. Consequences. You hated that word. It had been haunting you down for years, never getting tired and never losing track.

What was going to come, would come anyway. As Newt would say, worrying makes you suffer twice so there is no real point on wasting your time on that. Yeah, easier said than done.

You felt a soft tingling somewhere inside of your head. The boy opened the door to his room. You listened for his movements, but he must have only peaked down the corridor, not stepping out. It was still a surprise that he could walk in his state as he was literally drained of all his energy. He certainly was a wizard, but you had no idea why a wizard would willingly lead himself to such a condition. It could be dangerous itself and with physical injuries too? Foolishness in the purest form. Maybe he was still a student? But Ilvermony should have warned its students in their first year.

You hated being uninformed, because that was fanning the flames of your old investigation habits.

You were definitely going to kill Newt and send his reckless ass to his brother, Theseus. It was a wonder they were from one family.

You waved your hand lazily, making the soup be poured to the bowl and tea to the cup. You bet the kid was hungry. After consideration, you also took some biscuits that you still had left from the other day. With a slight pain in your right leg and some help from your cane, you brought yourself to a standing position. Someone had to make the first step and your guest didn’t seem eager to do so.

You didn’t hurry on your way, letting the tapping of your cane be clearly heard. You probably could mask its sound, but you wanted the boy to know you were coming. You weren’t sure how he felt and if he was still in shock after the events that had lead to his injuries.

Feeling like an intruder in your own house, you knocked on the door, letting the food fly its way behind you. You had only one hand free and this way you couldn’t spill anything. Almost inaudible words came from the room, so you opened the door.

The boy was sitting on the bed, still tucked in the blankets. He was watching you with caution, his dark eyes lightened with what was most likely a fever. His skin was as pale as the ghost’s. He looked like he wanted to run away at the slightest sign of danger.

When his eyes moved to the things floating behind you, he took a deep breath, clearly surprised, but you didn’t think about it. He had probably thought he was in some No-Maj’s house.

You made your way to the chair close to his bedside table, putting food on it. You sat with relief. The boy didn’t move, only followed you with his gaze. You introduced yourself, trying to sound less than your usual, grumpy self, so you wouldn’t startle him right on the beginning.

“I’m not an enemy,” you added just to make things clear. “Newt brought you here. Under my protection you don’t have to worry about anyone or anything.”

He still looked anxious. You encouraged him to eat something. He only eyed the food, licking his lips, but didn’t take anything. And still didn’t say a word. If he kept behaving like that, it would become a much longer night than you had thought.

“What’s your name?” you asked lightly, trying to make him talk. It took him a while to answer.

“Credence.” His voice was rough and shaky.

“That’s a good name. So, Credence, how do you feel? I have healed you the best I can for now, but I didn’t want to interfere too much, because you were still weak.”

Something moved on his face, as if he wasn’t sure if he should say anything.

“You may ask me anything,” you promised him. “Do you need something?”

“Are you… a wizard?” he suddenly whispered as if the words spoken louder would hurt him.

Time stopped for you for a brief moment. Newt had never said the boy was a wizard, you just assumed that because he had a power inside of him, he must have been using it. You wanted to hit the wall with your stupid head. _Don’t panic_ , you told yourself. _You can always erase his memories if you have to._

“Yes,” you said. How could you deny it after the show he just witnessed? “You don’t seem too surprised. Do you know any wizards?”

The answer took some time. He hesitated, but nodded. Probably didn’t want to broach this topic, so you didn’t push it.

“Do you feel comfortable with me using magic around you?”

Credence lifted his gaze for a moment before avoiding your eyes again. He nodded. Oh, yes, it was gonna be a long night indeed.

“How do you feel? Do you feel any pain?”

“No. It’s… okay,” Credence muttered with his face buried in the blanket.

“I’ve brought you a warm soup and a tea. There is nothing magical in it and I would appreciate if you ate it. You need it to come back to health.”

“Why do you care?” Credence asked slightly too fast and instantly curled up more, protecting his face.

He has been beaten. You’d known the signs. Taking a mental note for later, you brought a light smile on your face or what was supposed to look like one. You didn’t have much of experience in that matter.

You ignored the cold flames of anger towards the ones who have been hurting him. Credence didn’t need anyone’s pity. He needed help.

You leaned forward, trying your best to sound soft and calmly. It certainly wasn’t one of your virtues, but there was no one around to take your place.

“Listen to me, Credence. As I said, I am not your enemy. But I cannot call myself your friend either, and we both know that. What is important is that Newt is my dear friend and he asked me to protect you and help you come back to health. I made this promise and I keep my promises. You may not believe it, and I respect that, but you may trust me when I say I will not hurt you in any way. This is why…,” you reached for one of the biscuits and dipped it in the steaming soup before eating it. “…I will not poison you. Enjoy your meal.”

You took your cane, shifting to stand up.

“Can you… not leave me?” Credence asked awkwardly, suddenly scared when you moved.

He was shivering slightly under the blanket. Probably the events of his last few days were too much to bear alone, at least not yet.

“Of course,” you smiled, leaving your cane. “I don’t enjoy walking anyway.”

* * *

Credence felt relived when you didn’t ridicule his plea.

After some consideration, he reached for one of the biscuits his stomach was begging him for. He didn’t remember the last time he ate anything; it must have been before the… before the fight. Credence could only remember some dimmed fragments of what happened, but didn’t want to revive the full memories. Not yet. It was still too fresh, too dark and painful…

You asked him a question. To answer he had to separate himself from what he felt and from the pictures his mind was showing him. Your questions were giving him reasons to regain himself as you weren’t hurrying him. It was helping; after some time Credence felt calmer. Safer. He had something to focus on.

The biscuit was delicious. He reached for more and you didn’t even look at his hand. Maybe you knew there was nothing to steal or maybe you simply didn’t care what he was doing. You were… different. Harder to understand than most of the people Credence had met, especially at the orphanage, where food was limited, conversations shushed, and every move observed by at least two pairs of eyes.

You yawned, not even bothering to hide it. You stretched, shifting on the chair to lean to a more comfortable position. Something in you had a truly calming effect and Credence doubted it had anything to do with magic. Your aura was warm and soft, making him want to trust you fully and to tell you about everything that has happened to him in the last couple of days.

No. Not yet. Trust was… dangerous.

Only a half of the biscuits was left at the time a familiar name striked something in his memories.

“Why did… ‘Newt’ help me?” Credence asked with a little more confidence than at the beginning.

You shrugged.

“How can I know? Newt has always had a very well-developed sense of empathy. If it was only possible, he would help every person and every creature in his sight. I remember his room back when he was still in school. I have never thought that amount of stray cats, dogs, birds and other creatures he had found in the school surroundings would fit into one room, but well. Newt mastered land usage at a very young age. On the other hand, one could smell animal food from the other end of the corridor…,” you laughed lightly at your memories.

Credence cracked half of a smile, surprising himself. It felt like ages since he had a reason to do that. But now… it was easier. A little.

His expression darkened.

“What is going to happen to me?”

You raised your eyebrow.

“And what do you want to happen to you? Is my house this bad?”

“No! Of course not-…!” Credence panicked for a moment before he saw your sarcastic, joking expression. Credence lowered his head. “I just… don’t know what to do…”

“In that case, you may start with drinking my tea before it completely freezes.”

“But…”

“I won’t let anything bad happen to you, Credence,” you shut him off. “And no one is gonna take you from me. Believe me, I’ve got experience in this matter.”

His gaze slipped to your cane. You noticed.

“As I said, Credence, I’ve seen and been through a lot. You may think that it made me weaker, but it’s not true. Today I know what I am capable of better than anyone who may want to challenge me and it makes me stronger than them. You can count on me, boy,” you winked at him, making him flustered.

He quickly took the cup and sipped to hide his reddened face, but almost immediately he pulled a face, swallowing the drink with difficulty. You laughed at him.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you weren’t a drinker, but don’t worry, there is just a little bit of alcohol to warm you up.”

Credence huffed. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen to him, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like he wasn’t alone in that


	3. Chapter 3

The light coming from behind the curtains seemed too surreal to be real at first. Still asleep, Credence wondered why Mary Lou would allow them to be opened so early. Or maybe it wasn’t early anymore - and that dreadful thought brought Credence to his senses as he imagined the rage he’d feel on his skin as he would be the last one to wake up. He was the one supposed to buy the bread when it was still dark outside and clear the kitchen area and start the fireplace and then prepare all the dishes…

He sat up instantly, his heart frozen from fear so much so that it physically hurt. Mother will be mad. Mother was already waiting for him downstairs…

It took him a moment to realize he was no longer at the orphanage. Credence looked around, partly convinced that the events from yesterday were all just a dream, but he changed his mind when the old, partially healed wounds reminded him of painful reality.

Reality. What kind of reality could await a monster like him?

The sun was bright, easily seen even through the curtains. The room he didn’t think of taking a look at the day before, now seemed a complete opposite to what he was used to all his life. It was clean and spacious, the furniture old but well preserved. The orphanage only had some rusty, often broken furniture that most people would only see as garbage, but they didn’t have such a choice. They had to use what people had decided to offer them and what they could scavenge. Even though Mother was not blind, she still got mad every time one of them gave up and finally broke into pieces unable to be fixed again.

Credence took a deep breath. It was over, even if everything felt surreal.

His hands didn’t shake anymore even though he didn’t feel any better than before. Did that mean he got over it so soon? Credence felt guilty.

On the bedside table he noticed a small piece of thick paper, very pleasant to touch and completely different from the thin and cheap kind Mother used to print the leaflets. _“Breakfast is in the kitchen. You are welcome anytime.”_ was the only thing written on it with firm handwriting. It suited you. Credence thought about the cane’s sound that he’d heard when falling asleep. Only at first you seemed weak and broken, but no one who’s looked you in the eyes would make that mistake twice.

It was a reassuring thought. Mary Lou would never protect him from anything - only punish.

Credence looked at the bandages covering his arms. The skin underneath them felt stiff and hot, but he was still able to move. He didn’t remember much from the events at the station, but he knew for sure that whatever had happened to him, it was painful.

He shivered. He was still wearing the thin and dusty shirt he had on on that day. On a chair to his right Credence noticed a pile of clean clothes. He didn’t remember you bringing them.

Moving cautiously, still feeling weak and light-headed, Credence sat up to change. The fabric felt soft and warm and smelled pleasantly.

Magic. He still wasn’t sure what to think about it. He used to think magic was something extremely rare and now he’s met another wizard.

At least now it seemed to be a decent one.

The walk to the window took him longer than he expected and left him almost breathless through the exhaustion and injuries. Credence looked out, noticing what seemed like a garden, protected by a high, strong fence. It was impossible to see what was on its other side, so he had no idea in what part of city the mansion was placed. Climbing up didn’t seem like a good idea given his state. Credence bit his lip, thinking rapidly. He didn’t know if the place was safe. You seemed like a good person, but so did Mr Graves at first.

_“You are welcome anytime.”_

Credence took a deep breath, regretting it the moment a pain in his chest made itself known. After some consideration, he moved slowly to the door. He couldn’t stop admiring every detail on his way to the kitchen. Even the doorhandle was carved, so that it looked more like a tail. The floors were polished and without a single scratch, or at least not one easy to notice. The windows covered a big part of the outer walls, letting the daylight in. The ceiling was so high, probably even higher than he’s seen in church, but it had nothing in common in with dusty, self-righteous place.

Two-winged doors to the kitchen were open. A warm cloud of a divine mixture of smells covered the boy at the threshold, making his heart flutter and stomach erupt in a longing noise. Credence felt his face burn from embarassement, but you, sitting at the table, only smirked, gesturing to the other chair.

“It’s almost ready,” you said, turning the newspaper’s page nonchalantly.

Credence took the seat, trying to make no sound. His eyes were glued to the various kitchenware flying in the air and preparing the meal all by itself. It was a beautiful sight.

It was also a good way for you to take a good look at your guest. It was a surprise he didn’t try to leave on his own, especially since his room was on the first floor. Good thing you didn’t bet with anyone.

“How was your night?” you asked, looking back at the paper, satisfied that the boy was slowly gaining some strength and color in his face.

“It was… really pleasant,” Credence muttered, curling up, feeling embarassed for staring at the magic. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you rested well, it’s really important in your condition,” you said, gesturing to the tea pot on the oven, making it fly to Credence and pour him the tea.

The boy watched it closely, trying not to seem too obvious, but you could easily see how fascinated he was with magic.

You put the magazine down. It was a magical one, covering the news of the wizarding side of the Great Britain’s world. Credence face fell once he noticed the imagine on the front page. The devastated station was hard to miss. He didn’t have to say anything to let you know you were right.

Credence looked up at you.

“You are an Oculus,” you stated bluntly. “Do you know what that means?”

He nodded, hunching on his seat.

“Mr. Newt told me the basics.”

The plates flew onto the table. Pancakes were soft and steamy, making Credence swallow hard, but he didn’t move.

“Don’t you like pancakes?” you asked, cutting yours.

Credence frowned, looking at you puzzled. You shrugged, gesturing for him to start eating.

“Don’t make that face, I know you’re hungry. You need to eat to get better.”

“Why are you like this?” Credence blurted out before he thought it through. He was sure it would make you angry, but you only laughed quietly.

“That’s just the way I am, Credence. You have to tell me what you have in mind, because I don’t know what you mean.”

“Why are you letting me eat with you?” Credence asked with his voice breaking. “Why do you act like everything is fine and like I’m not a monster-…?”

Hitting the table hard, you made Credence jump. He looked at you with his eyes open wide, but your expression didn’t even change.

“Who told you you’re a monster?” you asked calmly, as if nothing had happened.

Credence fidgeted in his seat, his heart beating irregularly.

“Everyone, it’s just… what I am…”

“Do you think they are right?”

“…yes.”

You leaned back, smiling gently to him.

“Then welcome home, boy, because the same people that told you that, called me a monster too. Have you once thought, why did Newt bring you to me, aware that every member of the MACUSA was gonna follow?”

Credence shook his head, although he was well aware that you were more than you looked to be.

You sighed, leaning your head on your hands.

“Listen to me. I’m not good with all that ‘being nice and gentle’ thing, so I’m going to set things straight now. You are only what you want to be. You are the one in control of your life, even when it doesn’t feel like that anymore. If you feel down or guilty because of your actions - that’s good, because it means you’ve learnt over your mistakes and gained experience you can use later on. Don’t let anybody cloud your judgement, because they have no right to it unless you let them. Do you understand?” you stared at him questioningly.

Credence seemed to think it all through, biting his lip.

“But I’ve done bad things. I can’t change them.”

“Our past does not define us, Credence - but our future does. It depends on what we learn through our journey and how we will make our decisions from now on. What is your decision, Credence? Do you want to spend the rest of your life thinking what they want you to think, doing what they want you to and never once being your own damn self? Think well about your answer, boy, because this first step _will_ define you.”

Credence shifted, completely taken aback by your bold words and the determination in your voice. One part of him wanted to be just like you - sharp like a knife and trusting in your choices, never once hesitating. It was the life Credence wished for so many years and now it was so close it seemed like all he had to do was reach out and take it. To become a better person. To change what he didn’t like in himself and reforge it into a new person.

But the voice deep inside of his head was persistent, reminding him of everything that was his fault. Trusting the wrong person. Scaring Modesty and risking her life. Almost killing so many people at the station. He was a monster and he knew it all along - isn’t that why he let Mary Lou punish him so often? She must have seen it too, hiding behind his eyes…

Credence looked at your cane. You understood him, all of him. You have been bent, but never broken, not even by risking your life - and almost losing it.

He looked you in the eyes and saw all the possibilities in front of him.

“Teach me,” was all he said. It was enough.

“As you wish, my boy,” you smiled, proud of him. “But first you need to eat. I have a thing to take care of first.”

You patted his head on your way to the door, the cane clicking with your every step. This was a good day, a very good one actually. Skinning Newt alive still seemed like a thing he deserved, but maybe you’d let him live a few more days.

Humming softly, you walked through the mansion’s door. The rain didn’t stop pouring the whole night, making the air thick and sticky. The dark clouds covered the sky, so low that it felt like all one had to do to touch them was reach out.

A spell protected you from the rain as you slowly approached the gates. Your guests were nice enough not to hurry you. There were more people than you expected, but still not enough to risk breaking in without notifying you first. Seraphina was a wise woman, but naive at the same time. God knows how she managed to become Madame President if she seriously considered you giving up.

“I’m sorry I can’t welcome you properly, but bowing down has recently become a difficult thing to act,” you stated, looking her in the eyes with your chin up. You both knew it was a clear lie. You would never bend your neck to MACUSA ever again.

“Then you are a lucky one, because we are here for a much greater cause,” she replied, perfectly masking her true emotions. Aurors and investigators behind her back must have felt like a support, but many of them were young. The old ones probably refused to come for you. You still had friends in MACUSA, even after all these years.

“I’m afraid I won’t be much help, madame. I am just an old and retired solitary. I don’t know what I could do for you…”

“Cut this out,” the President has finally snapped. “We both know why we are here.”

“Of course we do,” you gladly agreed. “I live here and you want to trespass onto my property without any reason.”

“We have a reason-…”

“Then why didn’t you open the gates yourself already? Are you afraid of a few magic tricks that 5 generations of Aurors living here could cast? Let’s be honest, madame, just this once,” you gestured to your cane. “Your lies have caused this. Don’t go any further into the darkness or you may lose your way back for good.”

The Aurors murmured, but Seraphina didn’t move, as if she did not hear them.

“Open the gates. We have a warrant.”

“You may work with a few judges that signed it, but what will happen when you find nothing in here? What will the High Wizarding Court say when I fill in a formal complaint, based on your personal hatred for me, which made you use the whole situation you claim to have, to use it against me and breaking into my house?”

Seraphina Piquery watched you calmly. You both knew it wasn’t as easy as you described - but at the same time you could cause her a lot of disturbance if you started a case against her. It could take years to close it and much stress while her position as the Madame President would waver in its foundation. If she lost enough backing, she could even be forced to resign from the position - and all based on defamation. The strict and conservative wizarding community sometimes was truly a blessing.

“Open the gates,” she commanded.

“I’m afraid I forgot the right spell. I don’t use it often enough.”

You turned, making your way back to the mansion.

“We will get in!” she shouted, her calm mask breaking.

“Of course you will. Don’t wait for me, start your investigation right away.”

She knew that even if you were hiding what she was looking for, you had every chance to hide it or teleport it far away before they broke all the spells. You knew that too. But Seraphina couldn’t lose even more respect from the wizards. She had only one choice, and only one result.

“Break them.” The quiet voice almost drowned in the thick rain.

The Aurors hesitated, but followed the order. Magic exploded in a blaze of light. It was going to take them a while.

You walked back to the kitchen, still in a good mood. Credence seemed to have eaten a bunch of pancakes, which was a good sign. He looked up at you with a silent question.

“Put on a coat, Credence. We are going to visit a few places with _wondrous_ magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I'm really hopeful for the next movie and how Credence's story goes from now on. Maybe I should write a sequel...?


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